Shelf hook



.1. R. COOK 3,240,463

SHELF HOOK Filed July 21, 1964 IN VENTOR. Jkmw K 600 /zfM/d. M

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,240,463 SHELF HOOK James R. Cook, 224Queen St., Woodbury, NJ. Filed July 21, 1964, Ser. No. 384,187

3 Claims. (Cl. 248339) in its position on a shelf, mantel or the like,being immediately operative upon mere positioning on a supporting shelfwithout permanent affixation thereto, and which is capable of immediateremoval from its operative condition on a shelf without detachment fromor defacement of the shelf.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a shelfhook having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the precedingparagraph which is extremely simple in construction, capable ofmanufacture from a single integral piece of wire-rod stock, adapted foruse on substantially any shelf, table, mantel or other horizontalsupporting surface, which can be economically manufactured bymass-production techniques, and is extremely durable and entirelyreliable throughout a long useful life.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide ashelf hook of the type described which is extremely well suited fortemporary usage, such as in the hanging of Christmas stockings from afireplace mantel, and while such usage will be illustrated and describedhereinafter with particularity, it is understood that the device iscapable of many varied applications all of which are intended to becomprehended herein.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings,which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view showing a shelf hook of the presentinvention in position on a shelf or mantel and supporting a suspendedarticle, such as a Christmas stocking;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the shelf hook of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the shelf hook of FIGURE 1,absent the suspended article.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically toFIGURE 1 thereof, a shelf hook of the present invention is theregenerally designated 10 and is illustrated in operative position on ashelf or mantel 11 and carrying therebelow a suspended article 12, inthe nature of a Christmas stocking, or the like.

The shelf hook 10 may advantageously be integrally fabricated of asingle length of rod or wire stock cut to the necessary size and bent tothe desired configuration.

The shelf hook 10 includes a seating portion 15 adapted to rest on theupper surface 16 of the shelf 11 spaced inward from the front edge 17 ofthe shelf. The seating portion 15 is of generally elongate configurationextendice ing transversely away or inwardly from the front or outershelf edge 17. More particularly, the seating portion 15 is formed atits forward end with a laterally or transversely extending generallyclosed loop 18. The loop 18 may be of laterally elongate configurationhaving transversely oppositely projecting end portions 19 and 20.Medially of the laterally elongate loop 18, extending from the innerside thereof is an intermediate seating portion 21, which may beslightly elevated above the shelf surface 16, as best seen in FIGURE 3.The intermediate region 21 of seating portion 15 extends rearwardly orinwardly and downwardly to a rear portion or toe 22 engaging the uppershelf surface 16. Thus, the laterally elongate forward seating region orloop 18 may seat generally flat on the shelf surface 16, and the rearregion 22 of the seating portion may engage the shelf surface for astable resting engagement on the shelf.

Spaced above the seating portion 15 is an elevated portion 25. Inparticular, the elevated portion 25 may be in vertical coplanarity withand spaced over the intermediate region 21 and rear region 22 of seatingportion 15. Further, the rear region 22 of the seating portion 15 mayextend upwardly and arcuately forwardly, as at 26 for integral formationwith the elevated portion 25.

The elevated portion 25 extends forwardly beyond the forward region 18of seating portion 15, there bending forwardly and downwardly, as at 27,and continuing generally vertically downwardly to define a hangerportion 28. That is, the generally vertically depending hanger portion28 is in substantially vertical coplanarity with the arcuate connectingregion 27, elevated portion 25, connecting region 26, and intermediateand rear regions 21 and 22 of the seating portion 15.

The hanger portion 28 may depend considerably beyond the seating portion15 and at its lower region is curved downwardly and inwardly orrearwardly, to define a connecting region 29.

Integral with and continuing downwardly and rearwardly from theconnecting region 29 is an open loop or hook 30 providing a suspensionportion. The hookshaped suspension portion 30 includes a downwardly andrearwardly extending region 31 which is integral at its lower end with abight region 32 curving substantially degrees to extend forwardly andupwardly, as at 33 beneath the portion 31. A terminal portion 34 extendsfrom the hook portion 33, substantially directly beneath the arcuateconnecting portion 29 and extending obliquely away from the latter todefine a generally forwardly and upwardly opening receiving throat 35for the suspension portion 30. The suspension portion 30 is alsoarranged in substantially vertical coplanarity with the hanger portion28, elevated portion 25 and intermediate and rear regions 21 and 22 ofthe seating portion 15.

It will be observed that the bight region 32 of suspension portion 30extends inwardly or rearwardly to a position beneath the seating portion15 and inward of the forward end of the seating portion, see FIGURE 3.

Hence, upon engagement of an article 12 in the suspen sion portion 30,for suspension thereby, the load is transmitted to the seating portion15 intermediate the ends thereof for inherent stability of the hook 10on the shelf 11. Further, even under conditions of dynamic load, sayupon swinging of the suspended article 12, the lateral extensions 19 and20 of seating portion 15 maintain stability of the hook 10.

From the foregoing, it will now be understood that the instant inventionprovides a shelf-hook construction which fully accomplishes its intendedobjects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufactureand use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by wayof illustration and example for pur- 3/ poses of clarity ofunderstanding, it is understood that certain changes and modificationsmay be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shelf hook fabricated of an integral length of Wire and comprisinga transverse loop at one end of said Wire adapted to rest on a shelf ata lo-cation adjacent to and spaced inward from a shelf edge, an inwardextension from said loop adapted to rest on a shelf, an upstandingreverse 'bend at the inner end of said inward extension, an outwardextension from the upper end of said bend projecting outwardly past saidloop and adapted to extend beyond a shelf, a depending extension on theouter end of said outward extension depending below said loop, and anupwardly facinghOOk on the lower end of said depending extension, thebight of said hook extending under said loop.

2. A shelf hook according to claim 1, said inward extension beingmedially elevated for spacing over a shelf, the rearward portion ofsaidinward extension defining a toe for stabilizing engagement with theshelf.

3. A shelf hook according to claim .2, said loop being laterallyelongate, and said inward extension being generally normal to thelongitudinal dimension of said loop.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,770 11/1887Duncan 248-340 1,516,024 11/ 1924 Meyer 248303 X 2,503,108 4/ 1950Glandville 248-211 2,532,255 11/1950 Davis 248215 2,631,803 3/1953Meyers 248-215 2,938,696 5/1960 Hinshaw 248-215 FOREIGN PATENTS1,188,808 3/1959 France. 1,301,642 7/1962 France.

21,645 10/1904 Great Britain. 562,939 7/ 1944 Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A SHELF HOOK FABRICATED OF AN INTEGRAL LENGTH OF WIRE AND COMPRISINGA TRANSVERSE LOOP AT ONE END OF SAID WIRE ADAPTED TO REST ON A SHELF ATA LOCATION ADJACENT TO AND SPACED INWARD FROM A SHELF EDGE, AN INWARDEXTENSION FROM SAID LOOP ADAPTED TO REST ON A SHELF, AN UPSTANDINGREVERSE BEND AT THE INNER END OF SAID INWARD EXTENSION, AN OUTWARDEXTENSION FROM THE UPPER END OF SAID END PROJECTING OUTWARDLY PAST SAIDLOOP AND ADAPTED TO EXTEND BEYOND A SHELF, A DEPENDING EXTENSION ON THEOUTER END OF